Powered audio speaker devices including on-board amplification circuitry for receiving, amplifying, and audibly reproducing an audio signal are used in connection with a variety audio applications, including home and studio audio systems, musical instrument amplification, public address systems, sound reinforcement, and the like.
Such devices generate significant thermal energy which, if not removed, may prevent proper functioning of the device or limit the lifetime of the device. Commonly, heat sinks are disposed so as to provide convective cooling with ambient air, e.g., by placement of the heat sink on an exterior surface of a speaker enclosure. While there are a number of devices which use a speaker cone as an air pump to provide air movement for cooling heat-producing components such as a speaker driver or power amplifier, such devices usually rely on a particular speaker or speaker enclosure design, such a specific speaker frame and/or speaker magnet assembly, or highly specialized speaker enclosure components, and cannot be adapted existing speakers or speaker designs. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a heat dissipating mounting bracket which may be adapted for use in a variety of speakers or speaker designs without the need for a specialized speaker or enclosure.
Accordingly, the present invention contemplates a new and improved heat sink apparatus and method which overcome the above-referenced problems and others.